Cryptomundian Larry offered the following information on this amazing video:

There is no matches from the “Extinct” documentary thought it was discussed in one Facebook group. The bird you see in the beginning part of the video has picked up something off the ground & that doesn’t match where timespots were claimed matching in the documentary. There were no other matches from other timepoints either. In addition leg length at the 0:16-0:17 marks is longer compared to the short stubby length in the documentary. Another thing I noticed is that at the 0:13 second mark that another bird head pops up on the other side of the log. That hasn’t been noticed by anyone so far that I know of & the person supplying the video never mentioned it. There actually were 2 birds in the video though we can’t confirm they are the same type.

One thing that is important to consider is regarding who provided the video & does she match a hoaxer stereotype. That answer is “no” as she appears just to be someone who likes to film & photograph nature. She originally posted it to her Facebook page & then provided it to a biologist/professor. Her comments on her page regarding the video (translated) – Guys, does anyone know that bug is this??? I have tried to shoot some reptiles at night in my last trip to costa rica and the camera recorded this bird. Is it possible to be a dodo or something of the sort? I know that he is not there a long time ago, but it was the only species that i found it like that.” (By the way – she lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Regarding why the dodo is blurrier than the iguana at the end as well different light reflections. My guess is that the blurriness is due to the auto-focus function as well as the slow speed of the iguana compared to the bird. Note when the iguana is close that the sticks & leaves behind it are blurry. When the bird walks by – the sticks & leaves on the ground are more in focus – the camera hadn’t adjusted it’s focus at that point.

It is true Dodos are from Mauritius which was a Dutch colony. It also is true that some were transported abroad. It also is true the Dutch used them as food. It also is true that the Dutch traded with Spanish colonies in the Caribbean area & maybe even lived there as some timepoints themselves. Could they have released dodos there as a food source (similar to how they released pigs on the island of Mauritis)?

One argument I heard is that dodos lay their eggs on the ground & predators would have got to them. Costa Rica does have 5 species of Tinamous – poor flying birds which lay their eggs in indentations on the ground at the base of the tree or in a thicket. They survive rather well so birds that lay eggs on the ground in Costa Rica are able to live on.

One thing to consider is that it appears to be small compared to descriptions of dodo birds but then evolution of even a few hundred years could cause size to become smaller if released into a new environment… if this is a dodo. Could a dodo become smaller to adapt to a new environment in this short time period? Maybe even grow longer wings for short flight? How long would that take? (Note – I’m not saying the video subject has longer wings as their is no proof but the size is smaller IMO). There’s an example of cliff swallows shortening their average wingspan in just 30 years to adapt to their environment of “highway traffic” – see http://ensia.com/voices/fast-evolution/

I’m 50/50 to 65/35 back & forth on if this video is legit or not. Yes – it could be CGI & some have stated on how it can be done. However – it hasn’t proven to be a hoax… nor has it proven to be real. Personally I feel that it is a major mistake to dismiss this video. It is plausible by reasons I stated for Dodos to show up in Costa Rica.

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8 Responses to “Update: Living Dodo Captured on Video?”

The bird seen behind the log is the same head that pops up at :13. You can see its face toward the ground move up to be obscured by the log before it stands upright. The same basic body motion is seen around :36. I sure hope this is the real deal, but until more information surfaces I would have to remain skeptical.

Seems this was an advertisement made by a Brazilian website devoted to extant endangered species. Here is another video, of which the one circulated was a portion.

The translation of the website via Google is;
“Save who is still true.

A lot of people thought he could still have some dodo around, after the video that rolled on the internet. Yeah, but this species is no longer 300 years ago, because of the man.

But there’s a lot of animals close to get in the same situation of the dodo and we do not gives a shit.

That is why you will meet here the risk-dodo. An index to show the danger that some of them are running. And you will also be able to help these species, which are still of fact, not turn another dodo.”